USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume I pt 2 > Part 26
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" Art. 2. No student shall be received into the institution as a member who does not sustain a good moral character; and the Trustees shall be judge of the fact.
" Art. 3. The Trustees shall from time to time decide upon what terms students may be admitted, the duration and number of the vacations, etc., until some standing by-law be made.
" Art. 4. Every student shall attend public worship on the Sabbath unless pre- viously excused, and shall be present at morning and evening prayers on other days.
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"Art. 5. If any students deface or injure the building or any property belonging to the institution in any way, he shall forfeit a sum equal to the damage or such a sum as shall be considered proper by the Board of Trustees.
"Art. 6. No student shall leave town without the permission of the principal or his or her parent or guardian.
" Art. 7. There shall be an annual public examination at the close of the summer term. And there shall be an examination at the close of each of the other terms. And there shall be an exhibition annually, at the close of the summer term.
" Art. S. The principal shall keep a register of the attendance, scholarship, and general deportment of each student to be examined by the trustees or the parents and guardians of the pupils, or to be transmitted to them if necessary.
"Art. 9. All the property of the corporation to be in charge and under the con- trol of the Board of Trustees, or a committee of their body, duly chosen for that purpose.
"Art. 10. There shall be a meeting of the trustees annually on the second Tuesday of April, and such other meetings as may be necessary, which may be called by the president at the request of three members of the corporation and written notice posted up at some public place in the village by the president shall be suf- ficient-not less than seven days before the meeting.
"Art. II. The officers of the corporation shall be a president, treasurer, and secretary; the two former shall be members of the corporation but the latter may be any member that the corporation select.
"Art. 12. The corporators shall be called the Board of Trustees of Drury Academy.
"Art. 13. The officers above named shall be chosen by ballot on the second Tuesday of April.
. ." Art. 14. Any trustee of said board may resign his trust at any annual meeting thereof and the board shall thereupon proceed to fill such vacancy by ballot. And when any vacancy shall happen by death or removal such vacancy shall be filled in manner aforesaid.
" Art. 15. The By-Laws may be altered, added to, or repealed by a majority of the board at any annual meeting of the same; provided notice of such intended change be given in the manner provided in the tenth article.
" Art. 16. The secretary shall record the By-Laws together with the act of in- corporation and such parts of the will of Nathan Drury as relate to the legacy for building an Academy, and all other documents deemed necessary by the trustees and shall also keep an accurate record of all proceedings, at the regular meetings of the said Board of Trustees.
"Art. 17. Not less than seven members of the corporation shall make a quorum for doing business."
The first academy building was erected in 1843. It was built of brick with marble trimmings, 45 by 60 feet, with two stories and a basement. On the first floor were two school rooms. In the second story were one large school room and two small recitation rooms. It was a plain yet substantial structure, built under the supervision of Dr. Hodges, who was commended by the trustees, and the same was accepted by them in trust for the use specified in the will of Nathan Drury. The building was now completed, and Mrs. Freelove Drury, widow of the legatee, pre-
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sented a bell to the institution, and Lyman Thompson was engaged as principal. The school was conducted by him for eight years, and at one time reached a membership of about one hundred.
That the school finally fell into a decline under his charge would ap- pear from a record of a meeting of the trustees under date of April 10th, 1849. "Dr. Isaac Hodges said that he wished it distinctly understood that it was his opinion that the school could never recover from its low and declining condition without a change of principal."
The condition and prospects of the school were so discouraging to the trustees, that at an adjourned meeting on the 29th of October, 1850, it was voted "to choose a committee of three to advise with Mr. Thomp- son and the town school committee in relation to establishing a high school in connection with the academy." An arrangement to this end was effected, and in 1851 a free high school was first established in North Adams, William Pitt Porter succeeding Mr. Thompson, and remaining in charge until the fall of 1854. The public school was kept but six months each year, but the principal often rented the building and con- ducted a private school for the balance of the time. It was voted by the trustees, April 12th, 1853, " that the second story of the Academy be rented to Mr. Porter for three months for $10 ; also to allow him $2.50 for the repairs he has made." Jarvis Rockwell succeeded Mr. Porter in the fall of 1854, and taught two terms. Then Thomas Gorman taught two terms. In 1856 the school passed under the charge of Frank Shep- ard, who taught with a fair measure of success for about three years. Other teachers who tanght for one or two terms were : Mr. Robinson, Mr. Williams, Hoxey Hall, and F. P. Brown. In the spring of 1865 A. D. Miner was placed in charge of the school, and he has continued to the present, a period of twenty years.
On the 27th of September, 1847, the first examining committee was chosen, consisting of James E. Marshall, Ezra D. Whitaker, and Benja- min Hathaway. It was the duty of this committee to examine, from time to time, into the condition of the school, and to advise with the teacher in regard to the management thereof ; also to confer with the principal in regard to the hiring of assistant teachers.
On the 2d of March, 1866, it was unanimously voted by the trustees to let to the town of Adams, for a term of years (ninety-nine years being the time in the lease) the academy property, the Drury Academy and lot, the right and privilege of taking down the old building and of grading the lot for the erection thereon by the town of a better building for school purposes.
On the 9th of November, 1867, it was voted to pay all debts standing against the institution, and pass over the balance of the fands of the corporation to the building committee of the town of Adams for the purchase of a town elock for the new building.
The town of Adams having voted appropriations and appointed a building committee, the old Drury Academy building was taken down
1
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in the spring of 1867, and the hill again cut down seventeen feet, and the present fine editice erected at a cost of about $60,000. Messrs. Harvey Arnold, R. H. Wells, J. B. Jackson, A. W. Richardson, William Mar- tin, and A. P. Butler constituted the building committee. F. W. Cum- mings was the architect, and Henry Pierce and S. H. Horton the builders. The building was constructed of brick, with brown freestone trimmings, 60 by 80 feet, four stories high, slate-roofed, with a cupola for the town clock. An annex of three stories has since been built, at a cost of $12, - 000, with special reference to accommodating the high school. The en- tire structure contains twenty school rooms, a large hall, an office for the superintendent of schools, chemical laboratory, basements, with ample play rooms with cement floors, and it is heated throughout by steam. It will well accommodate 1,000 pupils. In one of the halls is a marble slab, containing the following inscription :
DRURY ACADEMY.
"Nathan Drury Esq., the benevolent Founder of this institution was born at Temple, N. H., March 20, 1773; died at Florida, Mass., Aug. 6, 1840. In his last will he left a generous bequest to erect this edifice, which was completed June, 1843, to be occupied for the Education of youth and when it shall cease to be so occupied for one year it shall revert to the heirs of the donors.
Die est benefacere.
" The original Building was taken down and the present Edifice erected by the town of Adams for public schools, A. D., 1867."
By the above inscription it will be seen that the first academy build- ing stood for a period of 24 years. During this time it does not appear that there was ever any well defined systematic course of study for the school, or any formal graduation of pupils from the institution. Neither & es it appear that any person was ever fitted for college in the school. at lea t any person who completed successfully a college course. With one or 4 70 exceptions there were frequent changes of principals, and ap- paren 'ly very little local pride in the success of the institution. In 1864-5 the school had reached an exceedingly low ebb, as appears from the fol- lowing extract from a report of A. D. Miner, who became principal of Drury Academy in the spring of 1865 :
"On assuming the charge of the old Drury Academy twelve years ago, I found it in a languishing condition. The term opened with only about thirty pupils. But few essayed the higher English; none the classics. There had been no systematic attempt at grading. The discipline of the schools was in keeping. A spirit of law- lessness was rife, as seen in broken glass and door panels. The school property seemed given over to the tender mercies of a band of Modocs, who by their depre- dations had well-nigh caused the sacred temple of knowledge to be the abode of the owl and the bat. My first impression was that the property might as well . revert to
,
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
the heirs of the donor,' in accordance with a clause of the bequest, unless a change could be effected. What I have said of the academy was more or less true of the other schools of the town. In a word they all ranked among the poorest of the Commonwealth."
In the school report for the year 1856-7 the committee say, "that of the towns of the State there are 317 whose standard of average attend- ance is higher than that of Adams and only seventeen lower-that there are 273 towns which raise a greater amount in proportion to their valua- tion than Adams and only forty- fire which raise less-that there are 320 towns which raise a greater amount appropriated to each child and only nine which raise less." The committee of that year also quote figures to show that only about two thirds of the children of school age availed themselves of the benefit of the schools in any degree.
In the school report of 1855-6 the committee lament the low stand- ard of admission to the high school, and say, " A majority of the schol- ars admitted to this school (Drury High School) would have learned more in a good district school." The high school for that year was in charge of Thomas Gorman, of the Military College of Norwich, Vt., whom the committee speak of as "thorough in his instruction and is an excellent disciplinarian," and yet during the six months of his service no less than 595 cases of tardiness of pupils occurred with a total membership of fifty- three. This would be at the rate of about 900 for our present school year, or an average of seventeen cases of tardiness to each pupil.
In the report for 1857-8 the committee think the low character of the schools is due in part to the employment of too young and incompetent teachers. "Their great object seems to be to pass away the time and get the pay. No regard seems to be paid to the advancement of the pu- pils. Many a term of school closes without any marked proficiency on the part of the pupils except in the arts of snowballing and coasting in winter and building mud-dams and robbing birds' nests in summer. To this it might be added that there is often great progress in scuffling and profanity, and in making hideous howlings, which render the vicinity of the school house scarcely less a nuisance and a terror than a jungle filled with all manner of wild beasts." Another recommendation is that "teachers should forbid hand sleds to be brought to school in the winter, because many a youthful mind is more intent on the use of these than his books. Corded up in the entry or around the door, they carry conviction to the visitor that the boys came to slide rather than study. They will take a recess, and then comes a noise like the breaking up of an encamp- ment and the marching of a Roman legion." This remarkable report closes with these words: "It shall be a proud day for us when the stranger who comes among us shall admire the productiveness of our farms, the skill of our manufactures, and even the beauty of our valleys and the grandeur of our mountains, less than our intellectual ability and moral culture."
The building of the new Drury Academy and of the fine graded
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school building in the south village at the same time, mark the beginning of a grand educational awakening in the history of the town. The schools were carefully graded and reorganized, better teachers were em- ployed, including a number of normal graduates, courses of study were planned and adopted, and improved methods of instruction were intro- duced.
Prosperous high schools were organized in both villages. with a four years' course of study, providing well for even those who might aspire to go to college.
In 1869 a superintendent of schools in each village was appointed to look after the interests of the schools. In this way the work of the schools was thoroughly systematized, securing harmony and co-operation among the teachers, and all the advantages which accrue from a proper division of labor. To provide for a needed supply of better qualified teachers a local training school was established in North Adams, in the Veazie street school house (a building of four rooms, erected in 1873) in 1876, and it has proved of great value to the town. It has enabled the graduates of the high school who have desired to fit themselves for teach - ing not only to obtain the theory but the practice of teaching, under the guidance and instruction of experienced normal trainers. They have been enabled to find out somewhat as to the probabilities of success before taking full charge of a school. At the present writing about two thirds of the teachers of North Adams have received instruction in the training school. The training school was continued at Veazie street about seven years, and then, needing enlarged facilities, it was transferred to the Union School building, where it still exists, with fifteen teachers and 450 pupils.
The same year that the Veazie street school house was built (1873), at a cost of $10,000, a building of about the same capacity was built at Ren- frew, and another at Blackinton, where by special act of the Legislature a union school was opened, to be supported jointly by Adams and Wil- liamstown. Another school, also included within the Union District, was opened at Greylock. But the rapid increase in population soon began to tax the school accommodations to the utmost. In 1882 the Tyler & Bliss mill property was purchased by the town of North Adams, and the building was transformed into a school house at a cost of about $30,000. In Adams also the same lack of school accommodations began to be felt, and in 1883 a fine school building was erected on Commercial street, at a cost of about 820,000. It is a model structure, with fine facilities for heating and ventilation.
During the past twenty years the schools of Adams and North Adams have passed from a low and declining state to a condition of ex- cellence and prosperity. Since the division of the town in, 1878, the school population of both towns has increased even more rapidly than before. For the change in and character of the schools in South Adams credit is due to the faithful services of Dr. C. W. Burton, formerly
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superintendent of schools, and later a member of the school committee ; to W. W. Spaulding, who was in charge of the schools for several years ; to his successor, Arthur G. Lewis, who left a record of faithful service ; and to the present able superintendent, Walter P. Beckwith, who has done much to raise and perfect the school system.
In the town of North Adams, Miss Mary A. Hathaway ranks first in regard to length of service. She is a model teacher and has endeared herself to multitudes of school children. It is to Mr. A. D. Miner, super- intendent of schools, however, that the school system of North Adams owes a very large share of its prosperity. He began his labors in the year 1865, as principal of the high school, and since that time as princi- pal and superintendent has been faithful and devoted to the public schools in season and out of season. By his skill and ability he has made for himself a reputation not merely of local extent but extending throughout the State.
ADAMS IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
The patriotism and public spirit which had animated the citizens of Adams during the Revolutionary war and the war of 1812 was shown long before the war of the Rebellion. It is shown in the warrant for the annual town meeting held March 13th, 1854, which contained the follow- ing article : "To see if the town in its corporate capacity will express its views in regard to the attempt now being made in Congress to repeal the Missouri Compromise."
At that meeting the following resolutions were unanimously adopted :
" Resolved, that we are filled with alarm and astonishment by the intelligence that the Congress of the United States are contemplating the repeal of that portion of the Missouri Compromise by which all that portion of the Ancient Territory of Louisiana lying north 36°, 30', comprising a territory sixty times as large as the State of Massachusetts was by solemn and mutual compact more than a generation ago consecrated to freedom forever.
"Resolved, that as citizens of Adams in town meeting assembled we solemnly protest against the passage of what is known as the 'Nebraska bill,' and the repeal or any modification of existing prohibitions of slavery in any part of our national do- main, because it would be a great moral wrong-because it would be a breach of the Public Faith-a stain upon the national Honor-in conflict with common honesty and subversive of all confidence in National engagements-because it will be opening the way to the ultimate supremacy of slavery over freedom in a government founded to secure to all men the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
"Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions signed by the moderator and clerk be forwarded to our Senators and Representatives in Congress and that they be en- tered upon the records as a testimony to those who shall come after us, that we still hate slavery and love liberty."
Thus seven years before the war broke out did the people of the town in this noble and extraordinary manner declare their indignation against slavery and their love for freedom. After the expression of such senti-
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ments no prophet was needed to foretell what the town of Adams would do to abolish slavery when the opportunity arrived.
The town of Adams has a record for patriotism during the war of th Rebellion which is honorable and above criticism. The number of soldiers sent to the war was unusually large in proportion to the size of the town, and yet the amount paid for bounties was smaller than that of many other towns in the commonwealth. The men for the most part enlisted out of pure patriotism, and in the early part of the war waited impatiently, in readiness to depart at any moment, for the summons that should call them to the scene of the conflict. When the news of the firing on Fort Sumter was received the feeling was intense. The local military com- pany went into camp and training, at once, public meetings were held and eloquent and patriotic speeches made, business was generally suspended, money was freely contributed to equip the soldiers, and the universally expressed sentiment was that the war was inevitable and that Adams should do her share in carrying it on. The first man to enlist was Wells B. Mitchell, of North Adams. He went to Pittsfield on the morning of the 18th of April, and as he stepped from the train heard of the firing on Sumter. He immediately enlisted in the Allen Guard of Pittsfield, which was ordered to leave town for Washington that very night, took the next train for Adams, where the news which electrified the nation had just been received, had barely time to make a few preparations and then, in company with Daniel D. Clark, of North Adams, and W. H. Mont- gomery, of South Adams, returned to Pittsfield, the latter men also en- listing in the Allen Guard.
North Adams had had since September 2d. 1855, a military company known as the " Greylock Infantry." The first officers were: A. A. Richmond, captain : J. Q. Robinson, 1st lieutenant ; D. W. McElwain, 2d lieutenant ; William M. Brown, 3d lieutenant ; and B. F. Hathaway, 4th lieutenant. In the following year, upon the formation of the Berk- shire Battalion, A. A. Richmond was elected major : J. Q. Robinson be- came captain, and McElwain accepting a staff appointment, William M. Brown became 1st lieutenant; B. F. Hathaway resigning, S. J. Rogers was elected 2d lieutenant, and L. W. Goddard 3d lieutenant, the rank of 4th lieutenant being abolished. Other changes took place the following year. A. A. Richmond was elected to the command of the brigade, and August 6th, William M. Brown was elected captain : S. J. Rogers, 1st lieutenant ; L. W. Goddard, 2d lieutenant ; and Elisha Smart, 3d lieutenant. In 1860 Major Henry S. Briggs resigned and Captain Wil- liam M. Brown was promoted to the vacancy. The company was then in a rather disorganized condition, and as soon as it was evident that the services of the regiment would be required for active dury. Major Brown immediately set to work to reorganize the company and get it in proper condition for service in the field. This company formed the nucleus or rallying point for the young men of Adams and vicinity, who responded to the first call for volunteers.
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New enlistment papers were made out, and such of the old company as chose enlisted for the war, and on Thursday, April 18th, 1861, a re- cruiting office was opened, and in a week eighty-three names were on the rolls and the company was drilling three times a day. They occupied the Phoenix Engine House as an armory, until they were ordered into camp. Most of the men who had families boarded themselves at home, but it finally became necessary for the town authorities to take the matter in hand and assist the men, as they could not afford to board themselves and do nothing. Arrangements were made for the company to take meals with a Mrs. Quackenboss, who kept a large boarding house on River street, and for some weeks the company marched three times a day regn- larly to their meals, about a quarter of a mile from camp.
Cloth was procured for seventy-five uniforms, and Chapin & Briggs commenced working them up. They consisted of jacket and pantaloons of cadet gray. Major W. M. Brown then went to Boston to procure the necessary State accoutrements for the enlarged company. The citizens of Adams responded liberally to the wants of the company, and a town meeting was called to provide means for the sustenance of the families of the volunteers.
On Thursday, April 30th, Major William T. Brown presided at an election of officers, assisted by Major J. Q. Robinson, and Lieutenant S. J. Rogers. The choice was as follows : Captain, Elisha Smart ; first lieutenant, Samuel G. Travers ; second lieutenant. L. W. Goddard ; third lieutenant, J. W. Mallory: fourth lieutenant, William E. Briggs. The com- pany voted to call themselves the " Johnson Grays," in honor of Mr. Sylvander Johnson, the chairman of the town committee, whose liberality had done much toward perfecting the organization and keeping up the spirits of the men while waiting for the call for active service. On Sat- urday, the fourth of May. the company went into camp on the lot just north of the present grist mill of M. D. & A. W. Hodge. The camp was named Camp Johnson, after their townsman and patron, Sylvander John. son. The volunteers in camp were amply provided for by the town com- mittee. One noticeable feature about the camp was the total absence of intoxicating liquors ; neither the soldiers or outside, parties were allowed to bring any into camp, and some parties detected in smuggling some in were summarily dealt with by the officers. The women of Adams were not far behind their husbands and sweethearts. Simultaneously with the formation of the military company the "North Adams Soldiers' Aid Society " was organized and immediately went to work. They met at first in the hall over the store of Salmon Burlingame, who furnished the room free for three years, and there they made the flannel shirts for the company before it left town.
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